


Color

by RaceyBoi



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 09:16:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13210662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaceyBoi/pseuds/RaceyBoi
Summary: A spralbert soulmate AU where you see color after having physical contact with your soulmate once you turn eighteen!





	Color

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tired_alexander](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tired_alexander/gifts).



> I hope your holidays were lovely, Alex! Enjoy!

Growing up, Albert and Race were each other’s lifelines and whatever else they needed to be to keep the other standing- a rock, a shoulder, an IV- even “the one good thing” on a few occasions. Through every hardship, they managed to push through hand in hand. They were convinced they could take on the world as long as they had each other. 

That’s why the news hit Albert slowly. His mind processed it carefully, running it over and over until he was sure he heard it right. Until he was absolutely positive his best friend’s words weren’t distorted somewhere along the way and even then he didn’t believe them. 

For a few seconds he sat in silence just blinking. He tilted his head and stated with a small smile and a gentle laugh, “You're joking.”

“This isn't something I'd kid about, Al.” Race deadpanned.

The smile slid from Albert’s face. He scoffed, looking down to try to process the wave of emotions washing over him. His chest was tight and the back of his throat was in mourning. He wanted to yell and cry out but his voice just came out small. “What are we going to do, Ant?”

“We’ll figure it out.” Race scooted closer, maneuvering around the game of cards that separated the two of them on the floor. He wrapped his arms around Albert’s shoulders and for a few moments they sat together in silence on the cold gravel floor of their secret fort, tangled in each other’s scared embrace. Truthfully, they knew this day was coming. They just didn't expect it to be so soon.

“What if you just stay here in the fort?”

Race frowned, “You know I can’t leave my sister.”

“Then what if I come with?” Albert pulled away with the smallest bit of hope. “Dad won’t miss me. I can hide in your bag.”

Race seemed to consider the thought, but then he shook his head. “There's no way I’ll be able to hide you till we’re eighteen and Nonna will kill us both if she found out.”

“Well I don’t hear you throwing out any ideas! Is this really the one time you don't have any tricks up your sleeve?”

“I told ya we’ll figure something out, alright?” Race shoved him before going back to his side of the card game. He picked up his deck. “I’m not moving.”

For the next week, they came up with hundreds of desperate plans that all crashed and burned. Race’s grandma appreciated the effort, even though it broke her heart, but it just wasn't possible for two kids to bring in the type of money Race’s grandfather made before he passed away. 

The day before Race moved, he and Albert spent most of the money together on pizza and arcade games as a “one last hoorah”. His grandma spent the rest of it on frames and printing out two copies of the same picture. A goodbye gift. When the day came, Albert was sent to his first day of seventh grade before getting the chance to say goodbye. The year was strange and isolating for the both of them until a group of kids took Albert in and Race’s school got a new kid.

Race didn’t immediately click with his Brooklyn best friend like he did with Albert. Instead it was a relationship that bloomed slowly into something intimate and new. They met two weeks after Race moved, during the Soulmate Talk. It was always a concept that fascinated and excited him so his overwhelming joy and newfound knowledge pushed him to chatter on and on to the poor sap sitting next to him, even when they got up to go to lunch.

“-Can you imagine that? I can’t, since I don’t really know what colors look like, but I bet it’s amazing!” Race paused for a second, catching himself. “Oh hey! I’m Antonio, by the way.”

The new kid seemed hesitant at first but he monotoned “Spot” in response.

The next day, Race invited him to sit as his lunch table again. Race didn't share his lunch period with his friends and Spot was still too new to actually have friends, so it worked out well for the both of them. By the end of the school year, they were showing up at each other’s house on a regular basis. It was a little more rough than the relationship Race had with Albert, yet it was still comfortable and strong. Spot even felt secure enough for Race to be the first person he told he was trans.

As the years passed, Race went on several trips to visit Albert during the summer, taking Spot with him a few times, but they eventually lost contact in between ninth and tenth grade when Albert’s dad moved to New Jersey. All the while, Race and Spot grew closer. 

Their romantic relationship started out as something casual towards the end of highschool, just to have someone to kiss and to hold until they found their soulmate, but fate had other plans. 

On Race’s eighteenth birthday, the two boys were wrestling when the clock struck 5:21pm and Race froze with a sharp gasp. Abruptly, he pushed Spot away and frantically looked around the room, his eyes wide and his mouth draped open in wonder and amazement.

Before him, the world was unraveling in color. His eyes continued to dart from corner to corner and although there was a little less color in the world than he imagined, it was all still beautiful.

“Racetrack?”

And then his eyes landed on Spot.

His agape mouth turned over into a giant, dorky grin he couldn’t fight if he tried. He knew Spot was handsome, but not this handsome. Truly one of the two most beautiful sights he’ll ever see.

He cupped Spot’s face and pulled him into a kiss that was only interrupted because he couldn't stop smiling. Spot laughed against his lips, a little concerned but delighted to see Race so happy.

“What's gotten into you?”

“I’m eighteen.” Race whispered, in such a state of awe and glee that he wouldn’t dare to raise his voice.

Spot stared for a few seconds before the realization hit. Slowly, a smile grew on his face. “What's it like?” 

“Unexplainable.” Race’s eyes were scanning the room again but they always seemed to fall back on Spot. He cleared his throat and scrambled to his feet, pulling Spot up with him. “Come on! We need to tell Nonna and Cass.”

None of their family members or friends were surprised to find out they’re soulmates. Race liked to think Albert wouldn’t be surprised either but after another two hours of looking, he still couldn’t find his old friend on any social media. He imagined his reaction towards Race saying he wants to wait till Spot’s birthday to learn colors.

“I want to learn them together.” Race would say and Albert would raise his eyebrow, silently telling him it’s a bad idea.

“You know you’re supposed to learn as soon as possible, right?”

“It’s only a month.” Race would defend.

“Alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn ya when you can’t identify the color yellow.” Albert would shrug with a small smile, wrapping his arm around Race’s shoulder before going on to the next topic of conversation. Race wondered for a brief moment if Albert still thinks of him, then he wondered if Albert still thinks at all. 

He quickly shook that train of thought off the rails. Albert’s home life was more than tough, but he was always tougher. With or without Race.

When Spot’s birthday rolled along, Race made sure their first touch was a kiss. It was sappy and Spot poked fun at him for it, but he secretly really appreciated the gesture. The way colors unraveled for him was overwhelming and Spot was grateful to already be in Race’s arms as he blinked against the harshness of this new world only lovers could see.

When Race’s grandmother started teaching colors to them, there were more hiccups than she had expected. Both boys were constantly misnaming the color cards and insisting some colors looked alike. 

“That’s yellow.” to one card.

“Light pink and gray look exactly alike.” to another.

The whole process was frustrating to both of them every week. Race’s grandmother tried to go slow but she couldn't understand why neither of her boys could tell the difference. Race began to blame himself, claiming that waiting till Spot’s birthday must have messed both of them up since they're spiritually linked.Then a quick search on the internet revealed that they’re Deuteranopes unable to see green light, but it didn't answer what that meant for their soulbond. 

Together, Race and Spot made an unspoken agreement not to talk about it outloud. They were both worried that talking about it would speak it into existence, makes it too real, reveal that they're not actually soulmates. That the universe somehow glitched.

As the months went by they began to ignore what being color blind might mean. They let the elephant in the room stay as a house guest, fed it unsalted peanuts, and allowed it to sleep in their bed until it became an invisible norm. Colors continued to frustrate, anger, and upset them but they tried not to let it impact their relationship. They love each other and that’s all that matters. Universe be damned.

By the time their second year in college rolled around soulmates and colors were no longer brought up. It wasn’t until after Race got a call from an unknown number that he even thought about them again.

He rolled onto his back when the phone started vibrating in his hands. Staring at the bright screen, he thought briefly about ignoring the call since nine times out of ten an unrecognizable number is just a telemarketer or a scam. Yet something in Race’s gut was telling him to answer. He pressed the green button.

“Hello?”

“Hey! Are we still on for tonight?” The voice coming from the other end sounded a little high pitched but masculine and somehow a little familiar. There was a slight New Jersey accent tinged into his words.

Race glanced at his bedside table which held the picture his grandma gave him when he was twelve and an old clock. He counted the amount of hours it’ll take for Spot to get home then he mentally shrugged and decided to just play along. He sat up in bed, “Yeah dude! I wouldn’t miss it!”

The voice on the other end eagerly responded, “Great! So you know where we’re meeting right? Terry told you the details?”

“Oh yeah! Totally!” 

The guy laughed, “I didn’t think I’d get this far in the conversation, I don’t know what to say. Your phone number was written on a table where I work, dude. I have no clue who you are but I hope you enjoy your plans with Terry.”

“I was just playing along. You mind crossing out that number?”

The voice hummed a “Mhm” in response. “Already did.” He paused, unsure of where to take the conversation but not wanting his voice to hang in the air. “So who is this anyway?”

Race leaned his back against the wall. “Who is this?”

“I asked you first.”

“I asked you second.”

A small chuckle crackled through Race’s speakers. “Alright, fair play. The names Albert.”

“Fun name, I had a buddy named Albert.” Race thought briefly if this could be him but shook the thought from his head. The odds were too unlikely and this voice didn’t sound enough like his. “I’m Race.”

“Race?”

“Yeah, short for Racetrack.”

“Cause that totally doesn't make it as weird.” Albert joked.

Race laughed sarcastically. Usually he would hang up by now but there was still something about this call that told him to stay. He joked back, “Real funny, Albert Einstein.”

The voice on the other end of the phone abruptly stopped his laughter. Sounding confused and a little alarmed, he asked “Wait, what’d you call me? Say that again.”

“Albert Einstein?”

Albert paused again, a little bit of longing dripped into his voice. “My bestfriend use to call me that.” he cleared his throat, “Sorry to get all weird. It just took me by surprise, I haven’t been called that in years.”

Now it was Race’s turn to go silent. It wasn’t possible, was it? He used that nickname whenever Albert was sarcastic but it couldn’t be that rare of a joke. He took a deep breath anyway. “What was your friend’s name?”

“Antonio.” 

“No fucking way,” Race half-whispered, almost in shock. Ecstatic, unbelievable shock. “Albert DaSilva that can’t be you.”

“Antonio Higgins? Holy shit!” Albert cheered, his smile being heard through the phone. “You go by Racetrack now? It looks like Spot’s dumb nickname thing is rubbing off on you.”

Race laughed, “Hey, nicknames are cool! Your new accent is dumb.”

“Your new accent is dumb, Mr. Brooklyn.”

They laughed again. Race chimed, “Al there’s so much I gotta tell ya! Spot and I can see colors and we both got accepted into Ithaca College and-”

“I go to Ithaca College!”

At that moment they both froze, halfway expecting to wake up from a dream. Race went as far as to pinch his arm. The silence hung in the air but it wasn’t awkward or strange. It was miraculous. Race was the first to speak. “Are you free right now? You better meet me in the student lounge in fifteen minutes.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

The two hung up their phones while excitement rushed from their head to their toes. Quickly, Race shoved his shoes on, grabbed one of Spot’s jacket, and sped out the door of his dorm. 

By the time he got to the lounge area, Albert was already waiting on one of the small couches. Race yelled his name and Albert got up to meet him in the middle. They collided into a tight hug. Then suddenly Albert’s surroundings began to unravel into color, starting at the center of his vision and spreading to the corners. He gasped and pushed away from Race, stumbling backwards as he blinked harshly against the vast change in his world. He rubbed at his eyes. Race was about to ask him if he’s okay when he realized that his boyfriend’s gray jacket was now light pink, a color he never saw before. 

“I thought you said you already met your soulmate.” Albert moved his hand away slowly, still blinking against the difference. A pain formed in his chest at the idea that Race was his soulmate but Albert wasn’t his.

“It’s complicated.” Race held his sleeve out, “What color is this?”

“Gray.”

“Are you sure?”

“I know what gray looks like, Antonio. I’ve only been seeing it for twenty years. Why does it matter?”

Race brought Albert back to his dorm to talk in private. Carefully he explained how him and Spot have been color blind since their eighteenth birthdays and how that changed for Race when they hugged. Albert plopped onto Race’s bed.

“So does that mean you’re poly? Are we poly?”

Race shrugged and laid down next to him with his head on Albert’s arm. Despite not seeing each other for years, it was as if nothing personal has changed. They still talked the same way, acted the same way, and even laid the same way.

Albert turned his head. “Antonio?”

“Mhm?” Race hummed back.

“I know we don’t really understand what’s going on but I’m glad we have a soulbond. I’ve missed you.”

“I've missed you too, Al.” Race kissed him on the cheek. Albert smiled and returned the kiss on Race’s head. They spent the remaining two hours getting caught up and exchanging stories, thoughts, and ideas. It turns out that Albert lives off campus with a few friends and that’s why they never ran into each other.

When Spot got home, Race gave him a quick kiss then explained what happened again. The truth is, Spot and Albert always found the other to be quite handsome. They were only able to hangout about four or five times but each time was amazing and Spot never felt left out just because Albert and Race grew up with each other.

Spot cleared his throat. He was never good at showing intimacy. “So how do you wanna do this? Should we touch hands, or hug, or what?”

Albert scoffed before pulling Spot in for a tight hug. Together they watched some of the objects morph around them; a brown blanket shifting into red and a dark blue folder fading into purple. Race grinned at the sight of their faces, knowing that their amazed expressions meant their world was changing. He pulled them both into his chest.

“We’re poly!”


End file.
